EU roaming rules: where it stays free and where it gets costly

An everyday example

Fictional example: Aoife from Cork takes the overnight ferry from Rosslare to Cherbourg. In port, she browses on an Irish network as usual. Out at sea, an unfamiliar network name appears. Aoife knows that mobile service via satellite is not covered by EU rules. She switches on aeroplane mode and looks up her train times once she reaches Cherbourg.

Her friend Marco from Lugano has a Swiss plan. For him, the EU rule applies neither in Ireland nor in France. Before leaving, he checked what data costs abroad on his plan and which roaming cost limit is set.

Which countries does roam like at home cover?

Under the EU rule known as roam like at home, you call, text and use mobile data abroad at the same prices as at home. Receiving calls and texts costs nothing extra.

The rule applies throughout the EU and in the EEA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Since 1 January 2026, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are included too, following decisions by the Council of the EU in July 2025. There, you are entitled to the same network quality and speed as at home.

Other countries are not covered, so Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Andorra are outside the rule. Many operators include such countries voluntarily; your tariff decides. For destinations outside the zone, a travel eSIM can be an alternative.

When can your operator still charge extra?

Roam like at home is designed for travel. Your operator may apply a fair use policy. It can monitor your roaming over four months. If you spent more time abroad than at home and your use there exceeded your use at home, it can contact you. You then have 14 days to respond.

After that, capped surcharges are possible: at most 1.9 cents per minute and 0.3 cents per text, plus VAT. The cap for data falls step by step, from €1.30 per GB in 2025 to €1 per GB from 2027, plus VAT.

With very cheap prepaid cards and plans, and with unlimited plans, your operator may limit the data you can use abroad; it must tell you in advance. If you live in one EU country and work in another, you may choose an operator in either.

Ferries, planes and borders: where are the cost traps?

On board, what matters is the network your phone uses. On a land-based network, for example in port or at the airport, EU rules apply. If you use mobile services over a satellite system, they no longer apply and there are no price caps. The EU recommends switching off roaming or turning on aeroplane mode on board.

Tip: Download maps and tickets while still in port. For on-board Wi-Fi, see our guide on Wi-Fi on the go.

Near borders, the network also counts. If your phone connects to a Swiss network around Lake Constance, Basel or Geneva, or to a network in Andorra or Gibraltar, your tariff's price for that country applies. An unfamiliar network name or a text with roaming prices is a sign to check your data roaming.

What applies in Switzerland and with a Swiss plan?

Switzerland is neither in the EU nor in the EEA. The EU rule therefore does not apply there automatically, in either direction.

• With a plan from an EU country, your tariff sets the price in Switzerland.
• With a Swiss plan, you receive a free text on the maximum costs without delay each time you go abroad, according to the Swiss telecoms ombudsman ombudscom.
• Since 2021, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM), a roaming cost limit must be set when a Swiss contract is concluded, and you can change it at any time. There is currently no price cap for roaming.
• Near the border, a Swiss SIM can connect to a foreign network unintentionally; OFCOM advises blocking the roaming function.

Tip: With a Swiss plan, voicemail (Combox) also costs money abroad, both for listening and while someone leaves you a message. According to ombudscom, it is cheapest to switch it off temporarily before you travel and to turn off mobile data manually.

How do you set spending limits with your operator and on your phone?

An EU operator must apply an automatic spending cap: roaming is stopped once you have spent an extra €50 or reached another limit you chose. You then decide whether to carry on. When you cross a border within the EU, it sends a text with your prices, the fair use terms and emergency contacts.

• Check your spending limit in your operator's account or app, and choose a lower one if needed.
• Turn off data roaming when you do not need it. On an iPhone, you do this in the mobile data settings; for Android, your manufacturer's help pages give the path.

For other preparations, see Before a trip: prepare your digital access and backup options.

What can you do if your bill looks wrong?

Contact your operator first and use its complaints procedure. Include the texts, warnings and the bill. If that does not help, the EU refers you to the national telecoms regulator.

For large amounts, a consumer advice service can help you assess your individual case.